Candy Empire
by Burgie
Summary: After the untimely death of her father, Vanellope von Schweetz is set to take over her father's candy company. But a darker world awaits her, one of illegal dealings and street racing. Human AU, Jawbreaker, 80's Boyfriends, and Turbo Twincest are the ships (but the twins aren't related). King Candy and Turbo are also different people.


Vanellope von Schweetz, daughter of the famous 'King Candy' and heiress to his Schweetz Corporation candy business, leaned against the balcony railing and sipped at her glass of champagne. She gazed out over the glittering lights of the city while, at her back, the sounds of a party poured out and coloured the air.

"Found some peace and quiet, huh?" Ralph, her bodyguard, stepped out onto the balcony, his heavy footsteps crossing the cement audibly.

"Yeah," she said, "and looking over my kingdom." She was eighteen today, legally old enough to inherit her father's business. She wasn't yet legally old enough to drink but her father figured that some champagne on her special day couldn't hurt.

"You're eighteen, girl, you should be having some fun," Ralph urged. "Not worrying about your future responsibilities. Your dad's still young, you've got plenty of years before you'll have to take over the company."

"Oh, I plan to have fun tonight," she said, flashing him a mischievous grin. She grabbed his hand, pulled it along the balcony railing, and placed her hand on top of his, lacing their fingers together.

"Don't let your dad know," Ralph laughed. "It's poor form for a bodyguard to date the body he's guarding. No matter how beautiful that body is."

"Not that you can see it in this," Vanellope snorted, gesturing to her pink dress. "I look like a cupcake."

"One that I'll get to unwrap later." Ralph glanced behind him and then, sure that no one was there, kissed her. She kissed him back and made a small noise of disappointment when he pulled away.

"I'm going to kiss you as much as I please tonight," she promised. "Just as soon as this party's over."

"And don't even think of sneaking away from this party," said Ralph. "You could sneak away from any party for your dad but you're the belle of this ball."

"Yeah, so I guess I'd better get back in there." She sighed and swallowed the last of her champagne. "C'mon, big guy, let's go do the rounds again."

Inside, the lights were bright and sparkling and the air was sweet and warm. Vanellope didn't mind the atmosphere, it was just the sheer number of strangers pretending to be her best friend that annoyed her. That and the fact that she couldn't slow dance with Ralph or even talk to him because he was supposed to be patrolling the room and keeping out any who would harm the heiress.

The night wore on and Vanellope danced with many strangers. She smiled politely for them, even if they stepped on her toes, and graciously accepted any compliments given to her.

And then the music stopped and was replaced by the sound of a spoon hitting a glass.

"Hello, everyone!" her father proclaimed, jumping onto a table and beaming at the crowd. "Have some candy!" And he dipped his hands into two large pots full of various candies and threw them out to the crowd.

"Dad," Vanellope sighed under her breath, and rolled her eyes.

"Now, as you all know, today is a very special day for my little girl. She's eighteen, of the age to inherit my business. Where is she? Vanellope!"

Vanellope made her way through the crowd before standing in her place beside her father, fiddling with the voluminous skirts of her dress. She normally played with her ponytail but her hair was tied up in a bun tonight, so she couldn't touch it without wrecking it.

"Ah, there she is," her father beamed. "Just look at how she's grown!"

Vanellope blushed at the attention while the crowd clapped and some more daring men wolf-whistled. They wouldn't dare if they knew who her boyfriend was. And if they knew that she had a boyfriend.

"This little girl was my little princess since the day she was born. Even her mother, bless her heart, loved her with every ounce of her being. If she were here today, I'm sure that she would be just as proud as me, if not more so."

Her mother's death was the reason for her bodyguards. Vanessa von Schweetz had been killed in her marriage bed while her husband had been attending a meeting in another city. Vanellope had been only eight at the time, and she still missed her mother fiercely. Now that Vanellope was eighteen, she was a lot safer. She could almost relax. Not that she didn't feel safe with Ralph around, he was the best bodyguard that anyone could ask for. A former heavyweight boxer was a good bodyguard for anyone.

Something shattered. Vanellope saw, in slow motion, as her father stumbled back. He put his hand on his chest and it came away red.

"Dad," said Vanellope, stepping back in shock. Something stung her arm and her shoulder, and then something grazed along her neck. She heard a roaring sound, and screams. And then Ralph was there, hunching over her. Time snapped back into normal speed, and she registered that she was screaming. Ralph bundled her into his arms and ran with her to the emergency stairs.

"What happened?" she asked. "Is dad okay?"

"Don't worry about him, you're bleeding more than he is. And he was wearing a bulletproof vest."

"So were you but you're still bleeding," she said, hovering her finger over the bloody patch on his chest.

"The bullets packed a punch," Ralph admitted. "But he'll be fine." He didn't speak any more as they continued up the stairs, instead holding her to his chest.

Sirens reached Vanellope's ears and she began to tremble. The paramedics pulled her away from Ralph and she cried out, reaching for him with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm her bodyguard," Ralph explained, and they let him into the ambulance to accompany her to the hospital.

"Ralph, I'm scared," she whimpered, clutching one of his big hands in both of hers. Blood trickled down her arm from beneath the bandage they'd put on her, but the drugs that she'd been given helped numb the pain.

"It'll be okay," said Ralph. "Your dad's in another ambulance and he's stable, the bullet was aiming for his heart but it got his shoulder instead."

"Good," said Vanellope. "Was anyone killed? If I got hit too, they must've been aiming to capture me or something."

"No, actually," said Ralph. "I heard someone yelling that the girl wasn't to be targeted. It was the work of a rogue assassin, I think. Your dad was definitely a target, though."

"So what now?" Vanellope asked. "These bastards ruined my birthday, tried to kill me and my dad, and probably scared the pants off of half of my guests. And they hit you too."

"It's just a few scratches from the broken plate in the vest," Ralph assured her. "Nothing a bandaid can't fix."

"I hope you're right." She held his hand to her chest and tried to relax. But how could she when someone was after her?

The hospital was very busy. Vanellope somehow knew that all of the patients came from her party. Guilt threatened to choke her, but she didn't get the chance to dwell on it as she was taken into theatre. The last thing she saw was Ralph's worried face as he was taken away.

"You bloody idiots!" Turbo fumed as he paced in front of the twins. They weren't really twins, they just looked identical. "I told you to kill the father and take the girl, not wound her! She's important."

"But why, sir?" Jet asked him. "Isn't she a threat to your operation too because she'll take over all of her father's business?"

"Oh please, that little princess won't touch that side of her daddy's business. If she even knows about it." Turbo stopped his pacing to lean against the desk and dragged a hand through his black hair.

"But why risk it?" Gear asked. "She's still his heir, she'll take over the company. And if her father knew what he was doing, he would've told her about it or had things in place so that she'd find out about it."

"And if she did, then I would've taken her out. But leave her alone now. She's innoshent."

The twins used to laugh at Turbo's occasional lisp. But not anymore.

"It's not like you to care about innocents," said Jet. "Are you sure you don't have feelings for her?" He grinned, but his grin quickly disappeared when Turbo slammed his fist down on his desk.

"She's my niece, you sickos!" he snapped at them. "And the reason why I care about her wellbeing is that she's dating my boyfriend's brother."

"But isn't Vanellope single?" asked Gear. "That's what all the tabloids say."

"She kept it secret," Turbo explained. "But Felix has a way of getting secrets out of his brother."

"And you learn all the gossip via pillow talk," Gear figured. "Getting laid really loosens that guy's lips."

"Which ones?" Jet quipped, and then flinched before Turbo's fist slammed into his gut.

"Anyway," said Turbo loudly, ignoring Jet's pained moans, "you're still in trouble for opening fire at her party. Smother the king in his sleep, poison him, I don't care, just leave Vanellope alone!"

A buzz sounded and Turbo pressed a button on his desk, admitting entrance to the handyman.

"Before you say it, I know. I've just gotten done with giving these airheads a beatdown for risking her life," said Turbo. He stood up and walked around his desk to embrace his boyfriend.

"Well, at least she's still alive and well. Although if she's not careful, her secret relationship is going to become very public," Felix worried.

"How bad is it?" Turbo asked.

"Two bullets to the arm and shoulder and a graze on her neck from a third bullet. One of the ones in her arm might've broken the bone too," said Felix.

"Sorry," Gear muttered, and Jet wheezed something that sounded like an apology.

"It's the one in the shoulder and neck that concerns me," said Turbo. "One of you wash aiming for her head. Now which one wash it?" He glowered at them.

"Neither of us, boss," said Gear. "It's just, there were so many people in there, and she was moving around, and we didn't mean to hit her!"

"Ugh," Turbo groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're both idiots. Get out of my sight. And you'd better hope she survives." Fortunately for the twins, they left.

"The hit to her neck missed the major artery," said Felix. "So she should be fine."

"Good," said Turbo. "I need her for my plans. But it all depends on if her father survives."

"Well, I got your car all fixed up," said Felix. "Try to be more gentle with it now."

"Nothing gentle about street racing," said Turbo with a snort. "Thanks, love." He kissed him, hands going to Felix's hips. Felix moaned into his mouth as Turbo's hands caressed his rump, then dipped around to the front.

"In the office? My, you certainly are a-" But then Felix felt Turbo's fingers dip into his front jeans pocket, and he sighed and broke the kiss.

"I'll see you later," said Turbo, sauntering past him. Felix pouted.

"I was going to give you those," said Felix.

"And miss you being flustered? No thanks," said Turbo with a laugh, swinging his hips as he walked. Felix smoothed his hair down and straightened his clothes, his cheeks burning.

Vanellope was sore everywhere when she woke up in the hospital. She groaned, her wounds throbbing. Her left arm had a plaster cast on it, and there was something stuck to her neck. She tried to look down to see what was stuck to her shoulder, but it hurt too much to move her neck.

"Ralph?" she whispered, remembering the disastrous party.

"I'm here," said Ralph, appearing with a plastic cup filled with water. Vanellope was grateful for the drink to soothe her dry throat, and for his assistance as he helped her sit up to drink.

"Thanks," said Vanellope once she'd finished the drink. "I'm so sore."

"I'll let the nurses know," said Ralph, and made to move away.

"No," said Vanellope, holding up a hand to stop him. There was a drip in her hand. That made her feel uncomfortable, so she stopped looking at it and tried to hold her hand still. "How's dad?"

Ralph's downcast expression told Vanellope all she needed to know.

"I'm sorry," said Ralph. "The surgeons did all they could."

"Clearly not enough!" said Vanellope, and cried out when she tried to curl into a ball and cry. So she just lay there instead, her wounds hurting as much as her heart. It was a relief when a nurse came in and put something in her drip to make the pain go away. It made her sleep as well.


End file.
